Selma, I am not very keen about the Hobbesian Leviathan, but think more about self-interest.
If one always acts in one's self-interest, one is more likely to survive. If one always acts against one's self-interest, one is less likely to survive. We have survived. Think what is in our self-interest. Peace is in our self-interest. Community is in our self interest. Cooperation is in our self interest. Trade is in our self-interest. Friendship is in our self-interest. Don't equate self-interest with selfishness which includes a disregard for others. Selfishness doesn't seem to be a survival value. We have a tendency to treat observation subjectively. Thus the "unlimited desires" assumption is thought to mean we are greedy. It doesn't. And the "least exertion" principle is thought to mean laziness. It doesn't. Thus with self-interest. It does not mean selfishness. Harry ******************************************** Henry George School of Social Science of Los Angeles Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 Tel: 818 352-4141 -- Fax: 818 353-2242 http://haledward.home.comcast.net ******************************************** -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Selma Singer Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 5:52 AM To: Stephen Straker; Ed Weick; futurework Subject: Re: [Futurework] Re: Hobbes I guess my question has to do with Hobbes's basic sense of human nature. If, as I understand him, he believes that our nature is to act only in our self-interest, and if that self interest has to do only with our physical and material preservation, why would he care to inform us, as Stephen has so clearly written here, about what is in our best interests. That seems to me to be an act that goes beyond self-interest to an interest in general human welfare, or an act that comes from some creative need (?) in Hobbes. I guess I have a sense that people who engage in creative work, like writing, are doing something that goes beyond their own self-interest. And I believe strongly that creative work (and I include in that work which can be done by anyone from a baker to an entrepreneur) defines us much more accurately than does our need to preserve our lives or even our comfort. Selma --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.548 / Virus Database: 341 - Release Date: 12/5/2003 _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
